The Formula of Love
by MegaTJ
Summary: When Linen Fiber is accepted as the Carousel Boutique's new tailor, Rarity learns that there may be more to life than fashion. But can she get passed the fact that he may be more of an egghead than Twilight?
1. The Fashion Algebraist

The Fashion Algebraist and Historian

The long whistle of the Ponyville Express echoed throughout Trottingham Station. The train slowed to a halt in front of its platform. The whistle caused a young unicorn to jump and fumble with some of his luggage. He looked around, as if realizing for the first time he had been standing on Platform 12 for the past ten minutes. His start made his glasses slip down the bridge of his nose. He pushed them back up with his hoof and returned his gaze to his things. Counting his bags and suitcases once more, he turned to face the train, where other passengers were already boarding. Using a levitation spell, he picked up his things, walked up to the conductor standing by the open passenger car door, and, after the conductor stamped his ticket, climbed aboard. He had cut getting on the train close, for the conductor was already calling for any last second boarders.

The gray pony walked through the train, wondering just where his overnight room could be. "Hmm…", he hummed to himself over the noise of the other travelers, "Just where can room 14 be?"

He followed the numbers of the cars and quickly figured out that they weren't in numerical order, but numbered in accordance to class, size, and car location. "The number fourteen", he concluded, "must be in the midsection, high class and must be of a moderate size." Satisfied with the complex algebraic solution to his fairly simple problem, he turned back around and proceeded to car number 5, where room number fourteen lay in wait of his arrival. The unicorn ignored the conversations of the other passengers, keeping careful to mind his own affairs and to keep his luggage from bumping into anypony. He reached his room, a fair-sized, two benched compartment with tiny bunks at the top.

A loud "thud" echoed around the little room as he dropped his luggage. The world beyond the window hadn't started moving yet, so the young colt used his magic to levitate the bags to the left top bunk. They landed with a softer thud, and he turned to the door.

"I haven't any reason to leave my compartment at the moment. I wonder what I could possibly do to pass the excess time", he pondered to himself.

He turned back toward the window and gazed around until he became familiar with the room. On the other side of the windows, he saw the busy crowd of Trottingham tourists and business goers swarm the other platforms. He breathed a sigh of relief. No longer would he have to put up with the crowded city.

"I was promised Ponyville would be a small, quiet town", he said to the window, "I just hope my new employer hadn't said that only to appeal to me."

That thought gave him an idea. From the top bunk, he levitated two of his suitcases down. He opened one, revealing a neat stack of scrolls and memos. He took one of the scrolls from it and replaced the case. With the scroll still in the air, he opened the second one. In it was a deep purple dress he had nearly finished a few days before. He turned it over and over, inspecting it for damages and deficiencies. It had a white, cotton trim and he ruffled the rear of it into a ballroom-like fashion. He made a shawl for it and fastened it with a clasp boring a round cut emerald. He used some of his magic to create a white, wispy lightning bolt emblem in the green gem. It was still a work in progress, and he hoped to have it finished completely over the next week or so.

He laid the dress on the right bottom bunk and opened the scroll he was levitating. He had read it over and over and over again, but he couldn't just seem to believe what it said. It was a dream of his to escape the overbearing rule of his parents to live a subtle life in the more rural areas of Equestria. He managed to do so when he sent of several letters of requested employment and got one back from the one he had actually really wanted. He read the note again.

In very neat hoofwriting, the letter said:

_Dear Linen Fiber,_

_It is my pleasure to inform you that I accept your request to work in my dress shop. Your résumé has detailed everything I need to know about you to determine that you are the perfect pony for the job. I thank you so much for applying. As a token of my gratitude, I have arranged to have you moved to Ponyville via the Ponyville express. I have also asked one of my friends to spruce up a three bedroom home for you. The ticket and the first month's rent for the apartment will be placed on my tab, so do not fret if your money situation is not in the most desirable condition. I hope to see you very soon._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Rarity_

_P.S.: I will be greeting you at the Ponyville train station the morning after your departure. Be sure to look for me. I will be wearing a stunningly fashionable sunhat._

He had read the letter several times just that day. It was so nice to have a pony be that generous to him. From the letter alone, he had come to admire his new employer already. He knew the Carousel Boutique quite well, as his family's own dress shop imported many materials and designs from the Ponyville shop.

From the front of the train, the whistle rippled through the cars. The room jolted forward as the brakes released and the train started moving forward. Linen placed the scroll back into its suitcase. He put the bag onto the bunk below his storage bunk. Outside, the sun was setting. Most ponies told him that having to travel through the night on a train would be uncomfortable, but Linen loved the idea. It was an adventure for him, especially because it was at night.

Just as he was preparing another levitation spell, somepony knocked on his door. Startled, he jumped and turned to see a silhouette on the other side of the distorted glass door. He slid it open, revealing a young, lavender unicorn. Her tail and mane were dull sapphire blue with rose and violet streaks. Her Cutie Mark was what Linen could describe as a sparkle sort of shape surrounded by smaller ones. She smiled.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything", she said.

"Oh, no, not at all", Linen replied in a slight Trottingish accent, "I'm not pursuing anything important at the moment. Er…May I help you?"

"Yes, I am Twilight Sparkle." She peered into the room. "I was told I could find a Linen Fiber here?"

The gray unicorn was slightly unnerved at the fact that this complete stranger knew his name and was_ looking_ for him. "I am Linen Fiber."

"Oh, that's great!" she cheered. Luckily, no pony was in the hallway to hear. By now the train was swaying with its growing speed, and it was getting difficult to stand. "May I come in?"

Linen thought for a second. Well, she seemed nice enough. And her smile was genuine. He stepped aside and beckoned her in. "Why yes, please do."

She sat on the empty bottom bunk. Linen closed the door and sat opposite of her.

"Miss Sparkle", he began.

"Please, just call me Twilight."

"Twilight…" Linen mulled over his words, trying to choose them so as not to sound impolite. "If I may ask, what may I help you with?"

"Oh, how rude of me", Twilight stated, "I was looking for you as a favor for somepony. You see, I had a small conference in Trottingham and I received a letter from one of my friends in Ponyville."

Linen's ears perked up at the sound of the town. He was now giving Twilight his full, undivided attention.

"She told me that you would be taking the same train with me back home and asked me to accompany you on the trip", Twilight explained. "To make you feel comfortable for the night. I understand this is your first big move."

Linen already knew who Twilight's friend was from the beginning. He could easily put two and two together. "I thank you both for the gesture, Twilight, but it shan't be necessary. I am already quite content. I will thank Rarity when we arrive tomorrow."

Twilight's expression drooped somewhat, just to where Linen could barely detect it.

He quickly made up for his mishap. "However, if you would like to stay and keep me company, I would much appreciate it. I can't logically think of any situation where travelling with somepony wouldn't be fun."

Twilight brightened back up. "I was hoping you would say that. The ticket Rarity bought for you covered a room this big so that we could share it. She told me not to go through the trouble of getting a ticket and asked me to look for you. It was her treat for me."

"Hmm…I see", Linen could feel his face heating up. He turned to the bunk on which he threw his suitcases. He levitated them back up to the top one and arranged them in a neat fashion. He levitated a new one down and made his way for the door. "Please excuse me, Twilight; I must go find a washroom to change in."

Twilight shot him a confused glance. "Change?"

Linen sighed to himself, this was going to be embarrassing. "I usually wear pajamas to bed", he explained, nodding to the setting sun on the other side of the window. "I am aware that most ponies don't wear clothes, but I am rather…conscious of the action of changing in front of a lady. It's more polite for me to change elsewhere." His face was really hot now. He was trying to fight the blush down, and was losing badly.

Twilight stifled a small laugh. He sounded just like Rarity! "It's okay, Linen. You can change in here. I'll wait outside."

Before he could protest, Twilight was already sliding the door open. "Just call when you're finished", she chimed over her shoulder. The door slid close with her magic.

Shrugging, Linen resumed his levitation. He unzipped the bag and pulled out his favorite pair of pajamas, a deep void purple button down shirt with hundreds of stars on it with a matching set of pajama pants. He used his magic to quickly wrap himself in the garments. When the last button was fastened, he called for Twilight. "Twilight, I'm finished!"

The door opened, and Twilight entered again, this time, with several bags of her own. She was lightly blushing. "I left these out in the hallway. Guess I was too worried over if I could stay to remember them."

"Would you prefer a top bunk, or a bottom one?" Linen asked. He nodded to his suitcases to the top, ready to move them.

"I'll be fine with a bottom bunk. I don't like the idea of falling off of something that high in my sleep." Something on the bed caught her eye, and she turned to inspect it while Linen had his back to her.

"Completely understood", Linen replied, putting his overnight bag with the others. He turned to see Twilight levitating his dress in front of her. His face instantly went ten shades of red. Only his family knew that he made dresses! How could he be so careless?

"Wow!" Twilight exclaimed, "It's beautiful! Linen, did you make this? Are you a dress maker?"

Linen bit his lip and swallowed the lump in his throat. He removed his glasses and pretended to clean the lenses. After he put them back on his face and calmed down a spell, he finally replied. "Y-yes, I did, and I am."

"When Rarity said she needed help around the boutique, I wasn't aware she needed this kind of help." Twilight glanced at him and saw how nervous he was getting. The beads of sweat across his red nose were very noticeable. "There's no need to get so embarrassed. Trust me when I say that it's perfectly normal for a colt to design and create dresses."

"I do believe that is true myself. It is only…no pony outside my family knows that I am a tailor. I'm not ashamed of it in the least, I…", Linen replied, his voice breaking off.

"Oh, I see. You just don't have many ponies with this in common, is that it?" She glanced at the dress.

"I suppose that is the closest explanation…I feel better now…so that must be accurate…" Linen agreed.

Twilight changed the subject back to the dress. "How long have you been working on this", she said, rotating it with her magic.

"The total time is currently three weeks, four days, ten hours and thirty-five point eight seconds", he said proudly. "It's my best record to get a dress of this quality to this point of completion."

He approached and admired it with Twilight.

"It's very pretty. And looks comfortable", Twilight observed.

"I will admit this dress does have one of the best visual attractions out of all of the others I have made. And you are very correct; this dress is very comfortable indeed." It took a second for him to realize what he had just said. His face once again became dark red. He dared to look at Twilight, who of which was giving him a very confused look.

Before she could ask, he decided to explain. "During my dress making process, I don't make use of a dress figure, instead, I form it around my very body, to ensure a comfortable and accurate fit. I only do this until the main design is finished. I add the finer details later."

Twilight replied, "That's a very unique way to make a dress. Rarity will be impressed. I mean, making a dress using by using your own body, that's amazing!"

Linen forgot all about his embarrassment. "You really think so?" he asked excitedly.

"Absolutely! It can't be easy making a dress like that; you must have been practicing for a long time to accomplish it!"

"In my opinion, it's the best and only way to create an ensemble. Though, you're the only pony that knows of it…"

"It's really amazing…" Twilight said to comfort him. That's when she noticed the emerald. "Wow, this emerald is really beautiful! Hmm…What's that inside it?"

It took Linen a moment to realize what she was asking him about. "Oh! You're referring to the lightning bolt. It's a skill I that I have learned with some experimentation. The lightning bolt is a carefully cut opal gem. I used a self-crafted Ghosting Spell to insert the opal inside the emerald after I shaped it", he explained.

"You made a new spell just so you can make your dresses better?"

"Well, yes, I have. There are actually several spells I've created for tailoring. It's definitely not simple, and I've nearly fractured my horn a few times", Linen explained. "Dress making is my lifelong passion; I've worked my entire life to achieve the skills I have now."

"You're really dedicated to what you love, huh?" Twilight finally set the dress down.

"I am. That's why I'm moving to Ponyville. My parents, well, they are considered by many to be imperious. I left so I can lead my own life, in self-created comfort." Linen adjusted his glasses and levitated the dress's suitcase down. He picked up the dress and carefully placed it back into the bag.

Twilight disappointedly watched him zip it back up. "Have you given any thought to what you're going to do with it?" she asked.

Linen saw her expression and knew what she meant. He wasn't a liar, so he said, "I was planning to sell it upon its completion. I'd hate to let it go, but I have no use for it. I won't ever wear it." Linen watched Twilight's expression drop further. A tiny "oh" escaped her lips and Linen smiled warmly. "Twilight, do you really like the dress?"

The lavender unicorn nodded. "I do", she replied, "It's very, very pretty."

He smiled wider as he picked the bag up and placed it with her things. "Then it's yours."

"But you said it isn't finished, besides, I don't have the mon—"

He interrupted her, "It is my gift to you. Anypony who admires something to an extent such as yours should have it. It is enough pay for you to appreciate my work the way you do. And as for the dress's final details…" He quickly unzipped the bag once more and removed the dress. Unclasping the front, he slipped it onto Twilight and levitated a green spool of thread and a sewing needle down from his supply bag.

"Now don't struggle…" he said.

Twilight wouldn't have been able too if she tried. The shock from what had just happened was a lot to take in. Linen used the thread and stitched, in very neat cursive, Twilight's name near the rear trim at the bottom of the dress. He pulled the needle and unused thread loose and put them back in their respective bag. He took one long look at the dress and the shocked unicorn wearing it.

"Something should be changed", he said, taking a deeper look, "It isn't completely you just yet."

Twilight remained silent. She was now coming back to her senses but still couldn't talk.

He looked for several more seconds before he finally realized what it was. He focused his energy into his horn. When it started glowing, and when he had Twilight's Cutie Mark pictured in his head, he touched it to the emerald. The emerald glowed faintly. The gem inside started to change shape. It slowly transformed into a magic sparkle, nearly identical to the one on Twilight's flank.

"Walla! Perfection in its shining moment!" Linen announced to Twilight, "Yes! The dress suits you well! Very beautiful indeed!"

Twilight blushed. "Thank you. Thank you very much", she said, "Is there anything at all I can do in return?"

He shook his head and reorganized his bags. "Twilight, I meant what I said. You needn't repay me. You're my first actual friend. That is already more than I could ask for."

Twilight wanted to ask, but didn't want to butt into Linen's life. She could wait for him to open up more first.

Linen sighed. His satisfaction was clearly evident across his face. He grinned very widely at Twilight. Before either of them could even think about their next words, another knock came through the compartment's door. It slid open to reveal a pale yellow Pegasus.

"I hope I'm not intruding, but I'm here with the dinner trolley. Are either of you ready for dinner?"

Twilight glanced at the other unicorn. "I'm starting to get hungry. I guess I'm ready."

Linen nodded. "As am I. A wholesome meal is definitely what I could use at the moment."

The Pegasus nodded, and disappeared again behind the door. She slid it completely open and carried in on her wings two piping hot plates of spaghetti and wheatballs. She walked to the window and tapped her front hoof against the wall. A collapsible table fell from it and she placed the two plates on top of it. The unicorns watched her trot back to the trolley and bring back two glasses of water.

"I hope you enjoy your meal. If you would like anything else, please do not hesitate to ask." She bowed politely and left the two alone to eat.

Linen sat down and gazed at their dinner. "It looks delectable." He looked to Twilight. "Shall we eat?"

**Fun Trivia: Linen has several speech patterns based upon the situation he is in. His more intricate vocabulary becomes present when he is nervous and is offering explanations. You may notice there are many mixes of the way he talks with Twilight, depending on how comfortable he is with what subject.**


	2. The First Day in Ponville

The First Day in Ponyville

Linen awoke to the gentle swaying of the train. He slowly opened his eyes to see that the sun was barely up. With a moan he turned over and tried to go back to sleep, but the movement of the car wouldn't let him drift off again. He groaned and sat up.

"Oh, curse my inability to possess a weightier sleeping capability", he said to himself. He rolled out of bed.

The sound of the machinery rattling throughout the train was strangely peaceful, almost lulling the unicorn back to sleep. He shook himself free of any intentions of returning to sleep and levitated his toiletries bag down. He slid open the door and walked outside. It was empty in the hallway, as everypony was still asleep. Linen walked through the train and finally, after three cars, found a restroom. He gave the door a generous knock. With no pony answering, he entered the room and started to prepare for the day ahead. His toothbrush, comb, and toothpaste floated out of the bag. All at once, he loaded the toothbrush, shook himself free of his pajamas, and started to comb his nappy bedhead.

Meanwhile Twilight was just waking up. Unlike Linen, she rolled right out of bed, as bright as the sun that had just finished filling the room with warm light. From her bags, she levitated her brush and her mirror down from her travel bag. She quickly gave her mane a brushing and decided that her teeth could wait until after breakfast.

She turned to the sound of the door clicking back into place. Linen stood there, now out of his pajamas, holding his morning things. They took a look at each other, as if they were complete strangers again. Twilight was the first to speak.

"How did you sleep?"

"It was utterly delightful." Linen had never had a better sleep. His very first night away from home was the most peaceful night in his life.

"That's great. You have a very long day ahead of you. You'll need all of that sleep for today." She watched his eyes gloss over with realization.

"Indeed I do", he agreed. He placed his bag with the others. Then a thought struck him. He didn't immediately turn around.

Twilight saw the hesitation. "Are you okay?"

"What is Miss Rarity like?" he asked quickly. He turned around to meet Twilight's gaze.

The unicorn almost laughed. "You don't have a single thing to worry about. You and Rarity will get along just fine. You have a lot in common."

Determining that he may not get the answer he was looking for, he nodded and changed the subject. "Is Ponyville a quiet town? I was told from several visitors that it was, but I think it would be best to ask a permanent resident."

Twilight thought about the question. "Well, for the most part Ponyville is quiet, though once you get to the market it does get a bit busy. I guess the best thing to say is that if you want to find peace and quiet you will."

Her answer put the male unicorn at ease. He was so worried that the comments of the town were lies and he would be living in another restless metropolis. He sat on his bed absently, more questions about Ponyville entering his curiosity.

The next hour or so was spent with aimless conversation. The two talked about everything from hobbies to books. The breakfast trolley came around, but neither was hungry enough to grab anything from it. It was during one of the periods of silence when Linen spotted something out of the window. He rushed over to it. He squinted hard to try to focus on what had captured his attention.

"Would that happen to be…?" The excitement in his voice told Twilight what he saw.

"Yep", she said without getting up, "That's Ponyville. We'll be there in a few minutes now."

Linen didn't say anything else. He just kept his eyes fixed on the collection of tiny buildings in the country side.

_Almost there…_he thought.

The long whistle of the Ponyville Express echoed throughout the small station. Despite the time of morning, it was already busy with the early commuters. A white unicorn did her best to navigate her way through the crowd. She was certainly surprised to see so many ponies today. It usually wasn't this busy.

"Oh, I hope Linen Fiber doesn't mind", Rarity said to herself, "He specifically told me that crowds didn't appeal to him much."

She kept walking through the crowd, trying to get to the train. It got harder as the passengers started to unload out into the station. She kept wading through the other ponies until a voice called out to her.

"Rarity!"

She turned her head to see Twilight trotting up to her. A light gray unicorn followed behind her. He was levitating quite a few bags behind him.

"Twilight!" Rarity gave her friend a generous hug. "How was Trottingham? Did you enjoy your trip?"

"It was great Rarity", Twilight replied, "I wish I could have stayed longer."

"That's magnificent to hear." Rarity glanced over Twilight to see a colt cleaning his glasses. "Twilight, would this happen to be?"

Twilight stepped aside and held out her hoof. "Rarity, I would like you to meet my new friend, Linen Fiber."

Rarity almost pushed Twilight aside. She walked right up to the gray unicorn, who had just finished cleaning his glasses.

"Linen Fiber…" she said, extending out her hoof. "I am Rarity. It is so nice to meet you!"

Linen shook her hoof. "Miss Rarity of the Carousel Boutique…It truly is an honor to meet you."

Twilight gave them a smile before disappearing into the crowd. She understood what was happening and knew they wouldn't need her around for it. First introductions were always the most important.

"You are just as I have imagined you", Rarity commented as she circled him. "Pristine, well groomed, confident…"

Linen remained silent. He couldn't speak for through the attention he was getting. It was about maybe the second time she passed in front of him when he forced himself to speak.

"Thank you", Linen replied, "And you are just as beautiful as everypony says."

Rarity stopped. "Why thank you. I've never met a pony as straightforward as you."

He snapped to attention, mostly in embarrassment. His cheeks were as red as can be. "I apologize. I do not usually speak my mind. I was captivated by your elegance." _Oh, why must my mouth stay in motion?_

"There is no need to be embarrassed I assure you", Rarity said, "Honest comments never hurt anypony."

"Y-yes." Linen swallowed hard and exhaled deeply.

"Now that we have been properly introduced, I think it is time I welcomed you to your new home."

Linen's heart hit his throat. "That would be marvelous!"

"I'm delighted you think so." She turned. "If you would kindly follow me, I will show you there."

She began to walk out of the station. Linen hurriedly picked up his things and walked beside her. "Where is it located exactly?"

"Not very far from the Carousel Boutique. A very good friend of mine owns it. I shall introduce the two of you later today", she explained.

"Miss Rarity I must thank you for all that you have done. I simply cannot fathom how much trouble you have gone through for me."

"Oh, it's nothing. It's my pleasure."

Linen couldn't decide on what to say next, so he remained quiet. They walked on in silence. The sun had by then gotten higher in the sky and was now releasing its furious heat upon Ponyville. It didn't bother Linen, though. It got at least twice as hot back in Trottingham. Rarity was too busy minding the path ahead to notice. They passed a few shops and Linen noted a few he would like to stop by later.

"I hope you are finding Ponyville as quiet as I had promised", Rarity said in an attempt to strike up conversation.

Linen took a moment to let his ears take in the surrounding bustling. "It is very peaceful", he replied, "I can hear myself think clearly."

"I think you will appreciate the fact that I have personally picked your home in the quietest part of Ponyville available." She gave him a generous glance.

"I give you my sincerest of thanks, Rarity. I promise I will work hard for you in an attempt repay you."

"Oh!" Rarity stopped in surprise. "Linen", she said stepping aside, "Welcome to your new home!"

The unicorn looked up and gasped at the sight in front of him.

It was a two story, pure white house. The front door was preceded by a spacious and beautiful covered deck. Wind chimes and humming bird feeders were strung from the raptors. The perimeter of the deck was surrounded by white and yellow flowers.

Linen stared at the structure and took in its every perfect detail. Rarity walked up the three stairs of the deck and levitated two keys and a note taped to the door. Linen noticed her wave him over. He anxiously made his way to her.

"What does the message say?" He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"It appears my friend Roseluck had to leave for an emergency. She was going to show you around the house, but has asked me to do so instead." She folded the paper up and gave it and the two keys to him. She pushed the door open. "Let us take a look inside, shall we?"

"Certainly!" Linen stuffed the keys and note into one of his bags, and followed Rarity inside.

The inside was spacious, and was completely furnished!

"I recall Rose mentioning something about your freedom to decorate if you desire to do so", Rarity explained.

Linen dropped his things by the staircase. "I had my hopes set on self-decoration", he replied, "I know a few Transformation spells that will most definitely suit my fashion needs."

"I take it you are a pony of exquisite taste?" Rarity turned to face him. A grin of appreciation had formed on her face.

"I am uncertain about that, but I do choose styles that seem to be, how could I explain this, exotic, or strangely different from most other ponys' fashion tastes", he said bubbly.

"How far exactly does your fashion sense deter from what some ponies would call the 'normal standards?'" Rarity asked curiously.

Linen thought about it. _I suppose that it couldn't hurt…_he thought. "It will be best if you could be presented with a visual example rather than an explanation. If you have no previous engagements planned for tonight, I would like to invite you to dinner. I could show you then."

Rarity hesitated. She didn't see that coming. "I-I would love to join you for dinner tonight."

Linen's heart hit his throat. "That's marvelous!" he exclaimed, "I'll have dinner on the table at six sharp."

"I will arrive right on time." Rarity turned. "Please get accustomed to your new home. I'll leave you to unpack your things and get settled in."

And with that, Linen watched her disappear through the door.

"That was an abrupt exit", Linen mumbled to himself. He glanced to his bags and decided that he may as well make the house his own. He levitated one bag, his outfit bag, to him. He looked around the room for a closet and spotted one near the front door. He opened it to find that it was very spacious.

He opened the bag and the craziest thing popped out of it. A short, dark blue pony with a gray and green mane landed on the floor proudly. A blue cape tied around his neck bore the initials C.T.

"Captain Threads!" the colt announced proudly, "Ready to fight evil and repel doom everywhere it dwells!"

"COTTON!?" Linen exclaimed. "What it the names of Luna and Celestia do you call yourself!? Having stowed away in my bags!?"

"That's _Captain _to you", Cotton retorted. "And I am your little brother!"

"No, boy, I mean, what in the hoof are you doing here", Linen asked. He eyed his brother darkly.

"Oh!" Cotton reached under his cape and withdrew a note sealed with a pink diamond from the bag he had just emerged from.

"A note from Mother?" Linen snatched it up and tore it open.

_Dear Linen,_

_ I have the most wonderful news for you! Your little brother was worried sick about you leaving and has decided he wants to come with you. For fear of you saying "no", he has decided to tag along in one of your bags. Your father and I shall provide transportation of his things to your new home. Take good care of him, and no fighting whatsoever!_

_Love,_

_Pin Cushion_

Linen read it again and again, hoping that it was just a very horrible figment of his imagination. But after he decided it was not going away, he admitted defeat.

He looked down to see Cotton hadn't moved from his spot.

"Go select the room of your desire", Linen half-ordered.

"Yay!" Cotton disappeared upstairs in a flash.

The older unicorn put a hoof to his head. "Oh, how am I to explain this to Rarity and Roseluck?" he asked himself. "I had not in the least bit expected this turn of events."

He listened as he heard Cotton running around the second story. He smiled to himself as a thought struck him. "What better way to cope with the change without at least taking a small part of home along with me?"

He shook himself free of the little remaining frustration. Peering into Cotton's travel bag, he found that the blue unicorn had stuffed it with food and snacks for the trip. _He's just as smart as his big brother, _Linen's mother's voice echoed in his head.

"I must say, that frightens me", he said with a chuckle.

"Big Brother! Come look!" Cotton yelled from upstairs.

He left the closet to go find where his brother had wandered. "What is it?" he asked as he ascended the last stair. Another set of stairs led into the ceiling from the hall. At the top of the retractable steps was Cotton, smiling proudly at his discovery.

"Come on up!"

The attic was hot and stuffy, as was to be expected. It was also renovated! The rafters both for the roof of the house and the ceiling of the second story were boarded over, making a new room. Light poured in through a large, round window that Linen assumed must have been located at the back of the house facing away from town.

"Roseluck must not have anticipated any tenant to use this for a room." Linen assumed. It was empty, not a single piece of furniture was to be found.

"My room!" Cotton announced.

"Very well", replied Linen, "But we will first need to install a bit of ventilation. We wouldn't want you to bake in the heat."

"I'll be fine, for nothing can harm Captain Threads!" He pounded his chest.

Linen rolled his eyes. "Well, _I_ for one am close to spontaneously combusting." He wiped the sweat from his brow. "Back downstairs. We have much to do."

With a bit of a struggle, he dragged Cotton from his new room and into the cool hallway of the second floor. "Now." He turned after the attic stairs snapped closed. "Since your things have yet to arrive in Ponyville, you have no chores for the time being."

"YES!"

"However", Linen continued, "You must stay out of my way until the house is fully functional. I have a tremendous amount of work to accomplish, and I cannot simply have you interrupting me."

Cotton nodded. "But how am I supposed to have fun?"

Linen gave it some thought. _If mother thought it safe enough to let him roam throughout Trottingham, then it would be perfectly safe to let him roam around Ponyville._

With a brotherly smile, he said, "You may go outside to play. But return home before five-thirty."

With a yelp of cheer, the young colt dashed downstairs and out the door.

Linen turned and focused energy to his horn to set out for redecoration.

"Hmm…" Rarity hummed to herself. She levitated two dresses in front of her, trying figure out which would amaze Linen more. "What do you think, Opal?"

She turned to the cat's usual perch to find that she wasn't there. "Oh, of course…" Rarity remembered. "Opal is spending the day with Fluttershy and Day. That's too bad; she always knows what looks best on me."

She returned to alternating the dresses. The task was becoming more and more frustrating by the second. Suddenly, the boutique's bell rang. She immediately set the dresses down on the display stand in front of her mirrors.

The unicorn turned around and saw Twilight crossing the room.

"Twilight", she greeted happily. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I have a favor to ask of you, Rarity", the Element of Magic replied.

"What is it, dear? I'll be happy to do it!"

"Well, you see, Dream Runner's birthday is next week, and I've been looking around for a gift for him—"

"And you want me to make him a stunning vest or jacket for his party? How thoughtful!" Rarity interrupted. She levitated a quill and note pad up to her.

"Actually", Twilight continued, "He mentioned something about a traveling cloak when I got back to the library."

"Even more appropriate for an explorer like him!" Rarity jotted down a few ideas and made side notes for needed materials.

Twilight glanced over Rarity to see that a few of the dress racks had been practically turned upside down. As a matter of fact, the entire room looked like an earthquake had shaken it apart. "…Is everything okay in here?"

Rarity stared at her blankly for a moment. Then she traced her gaze to the big mess behind her. "Oh, yes, all is well. I just have a small dinner date tonight and finding the right dress has been rather, well, challenging."

"I can help."

"Oh, Twilight, I can't possibly—"

"Rarity, it's fine. It won't take long", Twilight interjected. Then she added with a wink, "And besides, I know what Linen will like to see you in."

"How…"

Twilight giggled. "Just a hunch." She picked a couple of dresses from off the floor. "Now, let's get you ready for that date!"

**I know I'm late with this update, but school and work have been murder. Anyways, I struggled a little with this chapter, so any support would be largely appreciated.**


	3. Second Impressions

Second Impressions

"Are you sure about this one Twilight?"

"Absolutely", Twilight replied a-matter-of-factly, "Linen has a taste for symmetry and asymmetry, as well as contradictory colors. He will LOVE it!"

Rarity found it ironic how SHE was questioning the outfit SHE was being forced into while standing on her own display table. She and Twilight had spent the past two hours getting her ready for her dinner date with Linen. Now she was wearing a very beautiful purple dress. She wasn't certain whether or not the yellow guidings for either side were necessary, nor did she believe that the dress needed a lightened fade at the bottom. But Twilight did spend more time with Linen that she did, so it only stood to reason that Twilight knew what she was talking about.

Twilight studied Rarity intently. She was trying her best to make her fellow Element appear the very best for Linen. After about thirteen hours on a train together, she was sure she knew a lot about him. She kept scanning the dress over and over again, and something finally struck her. There was something missing from Rarity's dress. She recalled that Linen had mention something about accessories and she tried to figure out exactly what his taste would call for. Then inspiration hit as she laid her eyes on a pink cloth in the back of the store. She levitated it over to her and fashioned it into a large bow. She used her magic to attach it to the back of the dress.

"Walla!" she cheered. "All finished! What do you think Rarity?" She held her breath anxiously.

Rarity gazed upon the dress in the three mirrors before her. "Unique", she observed, "Truly unique…and rather unusual…I love it!"

"I'm glad you think so." Twilight smiled bashfully. It wasn't everyday she wandered out of the library to dress up a semi famous dress designer, so any compliments were completely flattering.

"Thank you so much, Twilight. You may have saved my second impression from disaster!"

"It's nothing Rarity", Twilight replied, "You do the same for me all the time."

Rarity admired herself in the mirror for a few seconds longer. Twilight did a fabulous job. The dress complimented the unicorn in every way. She studied her eyes and wondered exactly how Twilight got the dress to bring them out so brightly. She noticed her neck. It was somewhat bare since the dress was strapless. "Twilight", she said to Twilight's reflection.

"Yes, Rarity?" Twilight stepped forward.

"Near the door there is a small, oak box. Could you please bring it here?"

"Sure thing!" Twilight chimed. She saw it from across the room and simply levitated it over. "Here you go!"

"Thank you, Twilight." Rarity took the box and opened it. Still staring at her reflection, she withdrew a very pretty sapphire necklace. She slipped it around her neck and fastened it. That seemed to wrap the entire outfit up. Only one last thing. From the stand to her left, a perfume bottle floated over. She gave herself two quick puffs of the aromatic essence.

She turned to Twilight, once again a questioning expression plastered to her face. "Are you sure I won't need any more makeup?"

"I'm completely sure, Rarity. The mascara and blush should be more than enough. Linen told me himself that he believed in natural beauty and that it shouldn't be covered up by artificial colors."

"I do hope you are correct…" The last thing Rarity wanted to do was make a bad impression.

"Trust me. Linen will like almost whatever you wear. He's very calm and collected."

"Come back here, Cotton!" Linen shouted. He chased his brother across the living room, causing him to dodge some of the furniture. Crashing and shattering could be heard racing throughout the house.

Cotton was leading him all over the place. The small unicorn dove under the couches and squeezed in every nook and cranny he could to avoid his older brother. "_Captain!"_ he screamed at his brother. He jumped over the coffee table in the living room.

Linen stopped dead in his tracks. "ENOUGH!" With a surge of powerful magic energy, he threw a force field around Cotton. Instantly, he froze in midair.

"No fair, Big Brother!" Cotton grumbled.

"I have no further intentions to play nicely", Linen retorted. He levitated the comb he had been chasing Cotton with up to the imprisoned unicorn.

"NNNNOOOOOOO!" he screamed in vain as the comb neatened his messy mane. He struggled to break free, but Linen only tightened the hold on him.

"Yes", Linen snapped, "Miss Rarity will be appearing here for dinner this evening, and I will not have you, who I may add is not even supposed to be here, present her with a worse impression than that of which will more than likely already be in effect due to your unannounced arrival!"

"Blah blah blah." Cotton rolled his eyes.

"Don't you DARE! I am your eldest brother and from this point forward your guardian!" Linen yelled. "You WILL listen to me, or so help me Luna I will have you sent back to Mother and Father!"

That threat did it. Cotton stopped struggling. Linen finished combing his mane and then lowered him. He refused to face Linen even when he was set back on the ground. Linen saw that he was crying. He only got to take a single step before Cotton spoke again.

"Y-you know what, Big Brother", he sniffed.

"What, Cotton?" Linen asked softly. He slowly approached his little brother.

"I w-wanted to come w-with y-you, because e-everypony was mean to me in T-Trottingham!" He cried. He turned and grabbed Linen's leg. "Please, d-don't make me g-go back!"

It had never occurred to Linen that Cotton had been bullied back home. He never noticed any signs, and that is nearly impossible being as they had, despite the rivalry, the best sibling bond anypony had ever seen. Linen put a hoof around his brother. "I won't, Cotton", Linen whispered, "I promise."

They stayed that way for several more minutes. Then Cotton broke free from the hug. Linen didn't follow him. He knew Cotton would make no further interruptions. The little colt wouldn't want to upset him again.

He sighed. "Oh, what am I to do?" He turned and gazed upon the destruction he and Linen had just brought upon the house. Two of the lamps had been shattered into a few hundred pieces on the floor, and one of the couches had managed to flip upside down. Linen shook his head and levitated his one spell book from the only intact bookshelf in the room.

"Ah, Restoration and Renewal, my old friend!" Linen flipped open the book and flicked through its pages until he came across the spell he was looking for. He set the book down and focused as much magical energy as he could to his horn. It glowed and sparked as he followed the instructions in the book. "Oh", he groaned, "This would be much easier if I practiced magic more frequently like normal unicorns!"

In a sudden burst, the spell arced off his horn to the ceiling and shot around the room. Everything the bolt of magic touched instantly started to repair itself. Linen looked up. He smiled at the progress. In a matter of moments, the house would be back to the way it was.

He made his way to the kitchen. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the egg timer on the dining table started ringing. He pulled the oven open and withdrew the pan from within. He gave the dish a deep sniff. It smelled okay to him despite missing a few ingredients his mother had always used. He wished he had more time to make something better, but that was the best he could do in the time given to him. He placed the pan on the stove and withdrew three plates from a cabinet. He dished out an equal amount of the hay over rice on each plate and set the table.

"Big Brother?"

Linen turned his head to see Cotton holding the kitchen door open. "Yes."

"It's five minutes to six."

Linen's heart hit his throat. "Thank you, Cotton", he said quickly. He dashed out of the kitchen so fast that Cotton didn't even have time to correct him with "Captain".

He flew up the stairs and into the bathroom. In a matter of seconds, the sink was full of sudsy bubbles. He rubbed his hooves together vigorously in an effort to get them as clean as possible. He dunked his face under the water and scrubbed off any possible dirt. He pulled his head back out and instinctively grabbed his comb from the counter. He combed his sopping wet mane back into its normal neat fashion. A towel levitated up to his face and he dried it and his glasses. He sighed in frustration when he realized he had just mangled his mane again, and quickly combed it back into place.

Linen peered into his reflection. He pulled open his lips to make sure his teeth were still white. The frantic gray unicorn searched himself all over for any more flaws before rushing out and into his room, where he grabbed a collar and black bowtie. He struggled to get it tied and nearly fell down the steps in his attempt to multitask. He slid to a halt in the living room. By then the repair spell had completed its job and had since disappeared. Cotton was busy reading a comic book on the couch against the far wall.

Linen saw that it was a book that his brother didn't own. "Cotton", he said, "Where did you get that book?"

"One of my new friends gave it to me!" Cotton announced.

Linen smiled. "You made some friends?" Back in Trottingham, Cotton couldn't even talk to very many ponies, and now he has made at least two friends!

"I made…uh…" Cotton looked off into space in concentration as he counted the fillies he had met just a few hours earlier. "Six friends!"

"That's marvelous, Cotton!"

"Uh huh!" Cotton agreed. "Tomorrow they say they're going to swear me in as a Cutie Mark Crusader! YAY!"

"What a delightful sounding group!" Linen nearly jumped and started to dance. With his magic, he grabbed Cotton's cape and tied it around the colt's neck. The magic field then spread to Cotton's whole body. Linen picked him up and started to levitate him over the furniture and across the room.

"Captain Threads to the rescue!" Cotton cheered as he flew around the room.

On the outside of the house, Rarity could tell something was definitely going on inside. Playful laughter and giggling could be heard as far away as the Carousel Boutique! She walked up the steps, eager to leave the steadily darkening evening for the inside of the house. A small tug at the back of her dress made her freeze. It felt like a snag. Her heart began to pick up its pace in her chest. She hesitantly turned around. Any sudden movement, and she would hear the horrible sound of the dress ripping. She shut her eyes and slowly backed down the stairs. The dress fell loose. She breathed a sigh of relief. Carefully, she gradually moved back up the steps to avoid the step on which the dress had gotten snagged.

Now at the door, she paused before giving the door a knock. Something had been bothering her since she left the Boutique. Despite what Twilight had told her, she pulled out a compact. She quickly applied a very light blue-violet eye shadow to her eyelids. "Sorry, Twilight…" she said, "But I just don't feel myself without it."

She snapped the compact closed and finally gave the door a polite tap. It swung inward to reveal two unicorns. Linen smiled welcomingly.

Linen stared at her in awe for about ten seconds before speaking. "Ah, Rarity. Right on time!" He stepped aside and she walked in. When he shut the door, Cotton stepped forward. He put a hoof on the colt's shoulder. "Rarity, I would like to introduce you to my youngest brother, Cotton Threads. He stowed away in my luggage with a note from my mother to say that he is to live with me. I hope that this doesn't violate any regulations or provisions set for my employment or housing."

Rarity looked to Cotton, then back to Linen. "I am sorry, Linen", she said with a saddened frown.

The brothers tensed as they braced for the news of having to move back to Trottingham. Cotton was just about brought to tears.

Rarity's frown rose into a smile, "But now I have to tell my friend Pinkie Pie to throw two welcoming parties!"

"Party!?" Cotton jumped into the air and darted up to her with wondering eyes.

"Yes, little Cotton." Rarity replied. She kneeled to his height. She whispered, "And you know, I have a little sister. She's very near your age."

"Sweetie Belle!" Cotton yelled excitedly. "I met her today in the park! She said she was your sister, that's how I know who you are!"

"Oh, did she now?" Rarity nearly forgot how idolized she was by her sister. She was the main topic of most of Sweetie's conversations.

"Uh huh!"

"Rarity, er…could I interest you in a cup of tea before dinner?" Linen inquired shakily. It was his first time being the actual host for a guest. Back in Trottingham it was always his parents who had invited and tended to the visitors. He was just there for atmosphere.

"That sounds lovely, Linen. The trip was rather chilly."

"Of course." Linen rushed into the kitchen, leaving his younger brother and employer alone in the living room.

"I can't wait to be a Cutie Mark Crusader!" Cotton blurted out.

"You haven't earned your Cutie Mark yet", asked Rarity.

"Not yet, but I'm working really hard." He pulled his cape aside to reveal his blank flank. "Linen always says I can make it whatever I want, but I just don't know what will look cool."

"Maybe you shouldn't work towards obtaining a Cutie Mark that will look cool, but instead a Cutie Mark that will always be a symbol of pride and skill in what you excel in."

"I am!" Cotton chirped.

Rarity gave him a confused expression.

"I do all kinds of cool stuff! And any Cutie Mark I get will look the coolest!" He bounced with every word he shouted.

Before Rarity could continue the conversation, Linen walked in carrying a tea set. Three small cups were steaming with the hot tea. A kettle was placed in between the three and a small saucer held a few cookies. _All arranged in accordance of mathematical probability of first use. Thank Celestia I actually gave Mother's teachings the proper respect and devotion. _If it weren't for his mother, Linen would be at a complete loss now. He set the tray on the table in the center of the room.

"Would you care to sit down, Rarity?"

"Oh, yes, why thank you." She took her seat on an orange couch. She sat unmoving so she wouldn't wrinkle her dress. She levitated one of the cups of tea to her lips.

"Dinner is currently cooling. Unless I have calculated incorrectly, I estimate it to be at the proper temperature in approximately twelve minutes." Linen double checked his math to make sure he wouldn't look like a foal if he was wrong.

"It seems that has given us an ample amount of conversation time." Rarity gave her tea a sip.

"Now we are presented with the issue of a discussion topic." Linen sat on the purple couch opposite of Rarity. Cotton bounced about the living room, having finally lost interest in the evening. Linen watched him nervously. Rarity didn't seem to notice, but the grey stallion wasn't taking any chances. He levitated a cookie from the tray and hovered it in front of his younger brother's face. Giggling, Cotton followed it around the room. The two weaved in between the furniture, until finally the cookie landed on the arm of the green loveseat that Linen had positioned in a cattycorner fashion against the far corner facing the front door.

The colt immediately devoured the round sweet, barely leaving any crumbs.

Linen gazed sheepishly to Rarity. She was chuckling to herself. Linen decided that he had a suitable conversation topic. With a forced confident smile, he said, "Cotton's stomach has the largest volume capacity I have ever seen. No matter what he eats, there will always remain an empty space inside that little void of a belly."

Rarity giggled at his comment. "Yes, it seems that nearly all colts at his age level eat more than average."

"The energy for growth must come from some source."

Cotton watched the two quietly and tried his best to keep himself behaved. His adventurous nature was making that very hard for him and he soon found himself bouncing slightly with the urge to start running around the living room once more.

Linen, having noticed, decided to change the subject for his brother's sake. "Would there happen to be any locations Cotton could…safely…explore and develop his magic talents?"

Cotton's ears perked up. Now this he could relate to.

Rarity already had an answer to that question. It seemed that many new ponies always asked the same thing. "Why yes. Ponyville is home to many small caves and groves that can be very safely navigated. And if you require additional assurance, the Golden Oaks Library's assistant librarian is a treasure and avid cave spelunker. He would be more than happy to bring Cotton with him on an exploration."

"Really!?" Cotton hopped off the couch and once again trotted up to the white mare. "That's so cool!" He turned and galloped back to Linen. "Can I, Big Brother? Please?"

Linen recoiled as cotton thrust the questions at him. "Well, of course, Cotton. But be sure to have all of your other affairs in order first." Cotton had a reputation for a forgetful mind, and would often let many scheduled events slip his mind due to his excitement for something else. "You wouldn't want to oversight your induction as a Cutie Mark Crusader tomorrow, would you?"

"Nuh uh!" Cotton shook his head vigorously.

Rarity's eyes widened a touch. _Another Cutie Mark Crusader!? Oh dear Celestia…_the thought ran through her head again and again.

"Rarity, has something startled you?" Linen rose for any assistance he may have been able to offer.

The white unicorn rose too. "Not at all. Not at all", she assured, "It seems as if my hunger has decided to spike."

Linen bought the lie. "Well, if that is indeed the issue, then we may sacrifice the several last minutes to dine sooner."

"That sounds lovely." Rarity followed Cotton, who had first sprinted into the kitchen.

Linen followed behind, hoping that the rest of the evening would flow evenly according to the algorithm he had formulated.

_Perhaps, _he thought, _my second impression will surpass the results of my first… _

**So that finishes the fourth trial run. Only two more stories before story updates begin. Stay tuned...**


	4. Time for Work

Time for Work

Linen slowly rolled out of his bed. He was so stiff and tired from tossing and turning in what seemed an endless sleepless night. It was an hour before he was even supposed to get up, but the anxiety was too much for him to stay in bed. He just had to get up and do something, anything. He settled with getting ready for the day. He groggily walked down the staircase to the floor below. He yawned, nearly falling down the last few steps.

The whole house was quiet, a sure sign that Cotton still had yet to wake up. The thought of the little colt made Linen's heart jump. He would have to leave his brother alone for the day! From the kitchen door he levitated a small clipboard with a list taped to it. Seeing that he had yet to entail it, Linen tiredly wrote a note to find Cotton a sitter. It just had to be Saturday. He knew Cotton was mature enough to care for himself, but he couldn't help but worry what would happen by leaving Cotton unsupervised. He was sure Ponyville was a very safe place, but they were both still new to the town. The thought didn't run through his mind the day before, but Cotton could easily get lost. He had mentally slapped himself for that mistake.

"I wonder if Rarity is in possession of a map", he pondered to himself. He had taught Cotton how to read them and it would bring him much relief if he could give one to the little colt.

The kitchen was much cooler than the rest of the house, causing a chill to run through Linen's thin frame. He shivered violently. "I-I must see to it t-that the i-installation is p-properly installed", he chattered. He walked aimlessly through the room in an attempt to warm up. On his third lap he noticed that he had adjusted to the temperature and was no longer shivering.

With the annoyance no longer a factor, Linen set out to prepare for the day ahead. The second checklist he made hung on the wall next to the back door of the house. He levitated it over and, to his misfortune, saw that there wasn't much at all to do but get ready for his first day of work. He huffed in frustration. He was going to be so bored for the next hour. There was nothing, absolutely nothing for him to do until Cotton woke up. Then a thought struck him.

"Instead of waiting for Cotton to wake up before starting breakfast", he said to the kitchen, "He'll wake to breakfast!" He opened the refrigerator, once again thanking Princess Luna that somepony had filled it—and the rest of the kitchen's cabinets and the pantry—with fresh food. Since he started the tour yesterday, he kept finding more and more surprise he guessed that Roseluck had set up for his arrival. Another one presented itself when he discovered that there were pots and pans in the cupboards and drawers. Holding a pan out in front of him, he said to himself, "I must do something in return for Roseluck's kindness. But what could even so much as equal her gestures?"

He cracked an egg as he mulled over ideas. It wasn't much longer before his kitchen was alive with the sizzling and simmering of breakfast. In only six minutes, Linen had four pans on the stove and was mixing batter for waffles. It was no wonder why he was grateful for the fact that he could multi-levitate on a large scale. It made life so much easier for him.

Cotton rolled over and over in the bed in the spare bedroom. If he wasn't so lazy, he would have been up three hours ago, when he first woke up. His logic was that, if there was no reason, there was no getting out of bed. But that didn't include sitting up to read. He hurriedly grabbed the comic book that Scootaloo had given him the day before from the nightstand and opened it in his lap. To his dismay there was no source of light in his dark room. The little colt groaned in frustration. He remembered one time when Linen had used a spell to make his horn light up like a candle, but was unsure if he could do it or not. He was very afraid of hurting himself trying out magic that was too advanced for him. A fight broke out in his head about whether or not he should try to give himself at least enough light to read.

The mental battle never came to a conclusion. The smell of pancakes drifted into his nose, making his belly growl loudly. He rubbed his dissatisfied organ. When it became clear it didn't want to stop, he huffed, and then jumped down from his bed. He grabbed his comic and left the room. Upon opening the door, Cotton's nose was welcomed with even more smells of breakfast. Eggs, toast, even the orange juice floated into his nostrils!

The scents of the soon-to-be-devoured meal almost lifted him into the air to pursue them. He hastily made his way down the stairs and through the living room. Poking his head around the corner, he peered into the kitchen and saw Linen hovering over the stove. The bigger colt looked like he was really busy with making breakfast. Cotton took advantage of Linen's distraction and slipped into the chair farthest from the stove. Carefully and silently, he opened his book in front of him to the last page he left off.

He managed to flip through a few more pages before the book magically snapped shut and was levitated away to be replaced with a plate full of all of his favorite breakfast foods. He looked up to see a very bright smile in his face.

"Good morning, Cotton!"

"Good morning, Big Brother!"

"I must say, I'm surprised that—" Linen didn't finish his sentence, for Cotton couldn't postpone eating any longer. Linen watched him eat, somewhat amused to see his brother scarfing down all of his hard work. It didn't matter though; he found it well worth the time. The scene brought a feeling of satisfaction to Linen.

He sighed in contempt, then made his way to his own seat to enjoy his homemade oatmeal. Breakfast lingered on in silence. That is, neither of them talked. There was plenty of noise as Cotton's mouth plowed through food that his brother had given him.

Linen's thoughts, however, were no longer on breakfast. He had so much on his plate of life that he wasn't sure he could handle it all. _I must enroll Cotton in school, as well as find a way to keep him out of trouble out of school…To add to it, I also have my own issues to tend to… _It was becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain track of all that life was currently throwing at him.

"Life is life I suppose", he said aloud. Ignoring Cotton's "huh", he picked up his bowl and moved to the sink, where he had piled his dirty pots and pans. Using an animation spell his mother had taught him, Linen brought the dishes to life to clean themselves. He nodded in satisfaction, and turned to see that Cotton had nearly finished his breakfast.

Bringing up an old joke, he said, "Have you even noticed the taste?"

"Haha, Big Brother", Cotton said sarcastically, "I haven't heard that one before."

"In the sink with your dishes when you finish." With that, Linen left his brother for the bathroom. He was in such a stressful situation earlier that he had almost forgotten to get freshen up for the day ahead. His mane was only—thankfully—slightly disheveled from his night in bed. His hooves, however, were frighteningly dirty from fixing breakfast. Upon looking in the mirror, Linen saw that small spots of pancake batter dotted his face. And maybe worst of all was how tired he looked from his lack of sleep. His eyes were red, and his coat was darkened somewhat. He levitated the mirror out and withdrew a small bottle of eye drops from the medicine shelf. He squeezed two drops into each eye, and replaced the bottle. His next step was to remove the filth from his face and hooves. The sink filled with sudsy water as he opened the tap and combined it with soap. He scrubbed his face and hooves vigorously, enjoying how invigorating it was. He then dried off, combed his mane, and brushed his teeth.

Linen left the room feeling refreshed and alert. The cold water washed away his sleepiness as well as the grease and grime he had accumulated. Cotton was busy reading again as Linen made it to the living room. _I bet he'll be an author one day, _Linen thought as he poked his head into the kitchen to check on the cleanup process. The dishes had just finished rinsing themselves, and had placed themselves in a drying rack in the opposite sink. Linen nodded in satisfaction. "Parfait!" he chimed, using a word from ancient times.

"Big Brother?" Cotton called from the couch.

"Yes, Cotton?"

"Can I play with the Cutie Mark Crusaders while you work today?" inquired the colt.

"So long as you don't leave Ponyville, you have my permission", Linen replied. It made him feel better knowing that Cotton would have friends who knew the town and would keep his little brother from becoming lost. _For today,_ he thought, _I won't have the worry of Cotton losing his way…_

Cotton inwardly squealed and went back to reading his book. Linen knew better than to bother a Cotton reading session, even if it was just to play with the colt. The blue unicorn took his reading very seriously. Being a booklover himself, Linen did have his appreciation for books, but he wasn't even in the same league as Cotton. It left the bigger pony with the new problem of satisfying boredom.

He gazed around. There was nothing to clean. Nothing to work on…and he still had an hour before he was supposed to leave for the Carousel Boutique. He sighed. "I would clean the gutters if I didn't have a fear of heights…" he said frustratingly. He knew it wouldn't be much longer before his body started to itch and twitch from boredom. Another glance at Cotton gave him an idea. Books! He still had some reading to catch up on! A book from his shelf became surrounded with the color of his magic aura as he levitated it over to himself.

The front of the book read:

_Algebra Centurion: Volume Six_

He opened the textbook to the page he marked with a quill. An inkwell levitated over from the table in the middle of the room as he took a seat on the couch adjacent to Cotton. He saw that he had left off on the binary formula and application section. He got right to work on fixing the problems that followed the lesson outline.

At about the same time, Rarity was busy making preparations for the day of work ahead. She wasn't very nervous about having a new hoof around the shop, although she was very, very excited. Since dinner with Linen and Cotton the previous night, she found she like the new colts very much, and that Linen was just her type of worker. Hard working, punctual, and above all, an absolute gentlecolt. She couldn't wait to see what he could do with a few yards of fabric. Twilight had informed her that he had a very unique way of making dresses, but refused to tell her the details, insisting that Rarity would have to see it to believe it. She had also told her that Linen had given her a dress, and, upon hearing this, Rarity immediately asked Twilight to wear it in today.

The white unicorn soon noticed that there wasn't much more to really prepare for. She did tidy up the shop to avoid any embarrassment of how she left her workspace, and that didn't take very long. She would hate to start early but—

"Of course", she pondered aloud, "That would be a magnificent scene for Linen to behold upon arrival!"

She was hoping to give the stallion a bit of charm when he first walked in. And who knows, she may even receive another compliment from him. The thought of Linen calling her beautiful again tickled her emotional ribs. It made her feel sort of special, having a Trottingham unicorn give her such a compliment; she had always thought their standards of beauty were very high. She had seen a few Trottingham models, and to say the least, she quite often found herself jealous. But since yesterday, she no longer felt that way. And the fact that Linen didn't seem to hesitate made her feel slightly superior to those mares in the magazines. She giggled at the thought that she may even be Photo Finish material.

She laughed, "Perhaps I am slightly getting ahead of myself!"

None of that mattered if she couldn't get Linen to notice her again. She gave herself one last check in the mirror before taking her place in front of the dress-wearing ponikins. Her makeup was lightly applied for this particular day. She chose a lighter shade of eye shadow, and decided to skip the lip gloss. Her hooves were still shiny from her recent hooficure, something she couldn't—nor would she—help. And finally, instead of three puffs of perfume, she only gave herself, a single, almost puny spray of the scented mist. Twilight's explanation of Linen's preference for natural beauty left the Element of Generosity torn between everyday routine and impressing Linen to the highest extent. She hoped she wouldn't regret choosing the latter.

With her reflection staring intently at her, she mused, _I wonder if it's time to begin wearing my mane differently…_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Her clock read seven fifty-five. "It's not like anypony to knock before business hours…I wonder who could be calling so early."

Upon opening the door, she found the infamous Vinyl Scratch, with her head low. She pushed her way inside.

"Why Vinyl, I'm not expecting you until—"

"I know, I know", Vinyl interrupted, "There's been a slight change in plan, Rarity. I kinda need that dress like now."

Rarity turned and led Vinyl to a door in the back of the room. "Well, I'm happy to inform you that I had finished it last night."

"That's great, Rarity", the DJ said awkwardly. It was obvious she didn't visit the Carousel Boutique very often. Her red face only further proved that fact.

Rarity pulled the door open to reveal a closet full of completed dresses. Out levitated a beautiful blue dress with white sheet music sewn into it. She gave it to the DJ.

"Thanks, Rarity", she thanked, "Um…could you not tell anypony about this?"

"Your secret is quite safe with me", assured Rarity. She wasn't sure why Vinyl was being so modest, but she respected the unicorn's wishes.

"I'm really late", Vinyl said as she began her rush for the door. "I'll pay ya later!"

The door slammed with Vinyl's exit, leaving Rarity once again alone. She never minded the solitude, as it always gave her a peaceful atmosphere. Almost as soon as she began working on one of the dresses did the bell alert here that somepony had just entered the Carousel Boutique. Now her clock read eight on the dot. She hurriedly levitated a needle and spool of thread over.

Linen was confused. He was sure he had heard the bell of the shop ring, so why didn't Rarity turn around? _Perhaps she is so busy she hadn't noticed…_he thought. He crossed the room to her. It was when he was about five feet from her did she seemed to hear him behind her. She turned smoothly, shooting him a very flirtatious expression. In an instant Linen noticed every change Rarity had made to her appearance. A wild blush flew across his as he saw more of her natural beauty. She was so beautiful, that he actually fell into a slight trance. "Wow", he breathed impulsively.

Rarity felt her insides nearly start a party inside of her. She was so flattered! "Ah, Linen! Right on time!"

Linen shook himself out of his daze. "Y-yes! I…er..always attempt to be as prompt as promptly possible!" he nervously chuckled nervously. He gave himself a mental facehoof for his misuse of vocabulary, but Rarity didn't notice. He gave a sigh of relief.

Rarity set her textile tools aside. "Well, now that you have arrived, I do believe you deserve a proper Carousel Boutique orientation."

If Linen was back in Trottingham, he would have never, ever have believed he would ever hear those words. They struck him with enough happiness to almost knock in through a loop. It was so exhilarating that he had to fight a wave of magic energy from expelling from his horn. "T-that would be magnificent!" he managed to get out. His excitement delved so far that he added, "Ce serait un honneur!"

Rarity was astounded by his statement's addition. "You are able to speak Ancient Equine?"

Linen smiled in embarrassment. "Yes", he answered, "I'm quite fluent. I also happen to know how to read and speak Japonies and Sirish."

"That's extraordinary!" Rarity exclaimed. "How in Equestria did you manage to find the time for all of the required study?"

"Back in school", Linen explained, "I was always fascinated with the many languages of the world. I would devote whole weeks studying for fluency. Eventually, though, I eventually transitioned from language and settled for math and fashion."

Rarity found it very weird how similar Linen and Twilight were. Well, similar in the sense of academics. She could bet her tail that Linen would faint at the possibility of failing any test. It also offset her views of him slightly. Rarity had never given time to ponies of his academic stature. She was always afraid they would bring her social status down, especially in school. She tried fighting those thoughts away, but was losing badly.

"Is something the matter?" asked Linen at the sight of Rarity's internal struggle.

She gave her thoughts a very strong push to the back of her mind. "All is fine." She smiled for reassurance.

Linen nodded. "Erm…shall we start the tour?" he asked.

"Why of course! We have much to do to prepare you for your first day!" Rarity chimed. She led him from the room. Hoping to leave those plaguing thoughts behind too, but unfortunately, they kept echoing around inside of her head. She guessed it would be okay if they stayed within the confines of her head. It's not like they were going to play a major factor in life or something.

**Mostly a filler chapter, but I made sure to put a lot of transition material into it. There may also be some small things that will come up later. Then again, maybe not…heheheh.**


	5. A Day's Work and Cutie Mark Crusading

A Day's Work and Cutie Mark Crusading

"Woooohooooo!" Cotton cheered when Sweetie Belle finished sewing the trademark Cutie Mark Crusader patch to his cape. She had come up with the idea after he refused to remove the cape that Linen had made for him years ago.

"Another Cutie Mark Crusader!" Scootaloo announced.

All of them took a deep breath and screamed, "YAAAY!"

Cotton smiled from ear to ear. He was so ecstatic to be a part of a group to help get his Cutie Mark that he almost shot sparks from his horn.

"Okay, Crusaders!" Applebloom pointed toward the clubhouse door. "Next stop, Ponyville Town Hall!"

All seven ponies scrambled to rush out, and hopped in the Crusaders' newest and bigger wagon. With the exception of the oldest Crusader Apple Sprout, who hooked up to the front with a rope tied to the handle. "Y'all ready back there?"

"Yep!"

"Go ahead!"

"Ah'm ready!"

"Let's get going already!"

Apple Sprout reared back and took off. She pushed her hooves as far as they would go. She ran so fast they were all soon going faster than when Scootaloo would pull them around on her scooter.

They flew past the Carousel Boutique, where inside two ponies were working effortlessly on new dresses. Rarity had instructed Linen to touch up and finish a few of her works in progress while she set out to begin a new order she had received the day before. Both were working diligently, which left little conversation between them, no matter how much they were longing to converse.

To Rarity it was obvious that Linen shared her work ethic and didn't like to waste time. He was also a fast learner. It only took him several minutes to understand how she ran things and he only had to ask two questions. She had observed him from her sewing machine and saw that his tastes were the perfect compliments to hers. He was working on several dresses at once, further adding to her admiration.

Linen was enjoying being able to work in peace. By his calculations, his work productivity had increased by four hundred percent with no drop in quality as compared to working in Trottingham, where the noise from his siblings and the constant breathing from his father down his neck would drive him insane at least twice a day. He was very pleased to work alongside Rarity as well. It added to his elation knowing that he was working in the presence of his biggest inspiration for fashion. He added another emerald to the red dress in the circle he was working on. He then turned to the blue one and added some white lace near the neck and leg areas. The green dress needed a splash of fade near the bottom. With a final spell, Linen added a thin gold thread to act as a brightener around the flank of each dress.

"Voila! Finished!" he announced, then to show off for Rarity, added, "Perfection dans son moment de gloire!"

Rarity looked up in total disbelief. "Really? But you've only just started!"

"Time is no object, you'll find, when I am held to a task", Linen explained.

"I am very impressed, Linen." Rarity inspected each of the dresses. "They are simply stunning! Our client will be very pleased with them!"

"I agree. These are a perfect paradigm of beauty." Linen adjusted his glasses happily.

Rarity used her magic to remove them from the ponikins. "I'll have these shipped off right away!" She raced around to find her delivery boxes. "Linen, I'll be a few minutes. Could you look after the Boutique for me? I won't be long."

"You can entrust me with the task."

Rarity levitated the three boxes out of the shop and left Linen alone. He looked around for something to do. He spotted the material closet Rarity had shown him. "Would Rarity mind if I started on a small project without her consent?" All thoughts of making a dress were only barely orbiting his cerebrum. He did NOT want to risk having Rarity walk in on him while he was in the middle of creating the dress's base. A raincoat, however, was less objectionable. He walked into the closet and randomly levitated out three open bins of fabric.

"Hmm…I do not have any vinyl treated fabrics", Linen said to himself while taking another quick look, "And I do not want to expend an excess amount of time in search for it, so it appears I will be improvising."

From the bins he levitated four different colored fabrics. He knew he wanted the coat to be casual, so he chose a dull gray to start off the color palette. He wrapped the long roll of fabric out and cut enough to cover his body. Before placing it around himself, the unicorn focused on a spell he taught himself. In ten seconds he had charged the spell and enchanted the fabric with a Waterproof Charm. The fabric wrapped around him as he grabbed a nearby pair of scissors. Linen shaped the coat with two front leg holes, deciding against making two for the rear legs to stay away from common design. He hummed a song to himself as he sewed and snipped.

Linen kept up the work until he had finished with the base design. He looked at his work and couldn't help but laugh. "Hoohoo! It appears I should be more attentive when selecting a color!" The fabric he had chosen was the exact same color as his coat. If anypony were to look, they wouldn't know he was wearing the first stage of a raincoat. The humor didn't last long; he wanted to get on with his new project. Now with the raincoat levitated in front of him, he spun it, debating what he should do with the plain coat. One choice was obvious.

"A hood is an unquestionable addition." His gaze shifted among the remaining fabrics. He first levitated the vibrant red up to the gray coat. It complimented well, but he still had two other options. The purple presented a mysterious aura, but blended too evenly with the grey. The Alice blue fabric was a very pleasing compliment, but for the unicorn, presented too much contradiction to be used as a hood. He settled with the red, and in only two minutes, had fashioned it into a double layer waterproof hood. He attached it with a sewing technique his mother taught him to hide the thread.

"Now I am presented with the—"

The bell to the boutique rang as somepony walked in. He turned to see a green stallion wearing a bandana around his neck and a hat behind his neck. He stopped after seeing that Rarity wasn't in the shop. Instead, a strange gray unicorn was standing in her usual place.

"…May I help you?" Linen set the coat down on the nearest table. "I am Linen Fiber. Rarity has stepped out for the moment and has left the Carousel Boutique in my able hooves. He trotted up to the larger colt, somewhat hesitant.

"Um…Ah'm lookin' to get two bandanas made fer mah sisters", Thorn Hopper said.

"Marvelous! What are the specifications for your order?"

Thorny blinked, "Uh…what?"

"How would you like them made?"

"Oh, whah didn' y'all say so? Ah don' really care what colors as long as one has a little pink an' the other one's got a little red somewhere on'em."

_I possess near-absolute creative power! _he cheered excitedly in his head. "What colors would your siblings' coats be?"

"One's laht blue an' the other is dark blue."

"Do you have a specific deadline for which they are to be complete?"

Thorny nodded. "They hafta be done by this Saturday."

"Excellent!" Linen was overjoyed to finally have his own, personal client, no matter if the order was just a couple of bandanas. "Rest assured, Mr.…erm…"

"Thorn Hopper."

"Rest assured I'll have your order finished no later than nine o' clock Saturday morning."

"When do Ah pay?" the Earth Pony asked.

"Since you have permitted me nearly complete freedom with your order, you are not required to pay until you receive your order." Linen almost forgot something. He hurriedly asked, "What is your preferred budget?"

"Ah'm lookin' at about forty t' seventy-fahv bits", he replied.

Linen nodded. He wouldn't be able to be largely creative, and judging from Thorn Hopper, ostentatious bandanas probably wouldn't be very appealing to the farm pony. In the end, it would work out in everypony's favor. "Well, I will work diligently to complete the bandanas for your sisters."

"Thank ya, Linen", Thorny extended his hoof.

Linen shook it, surprised at how strong Thorny's grip was. "I'll see you Saturday, Thorn Hopper."

"Naw, jus' call m' Thorny!"

"Thorny, then."

Linen turned his attention back to the raincoat as Thorny left. Now that it had a red hood, Linen wanted to give it more color with the two fabrics he had left. The blue and purple would make great contributions to it, yet, he couldn't figure out exactly how that was going to happen. He decided to brainstorm. "This blue should be used as a detailing agent. The violet should be used over a vast space or for a trim…" Now that he knew what to use them for, he had to figure out where to place them. That posed a problem because he didn't know what kind of pony he wanted to design it for. "Maybe I should give this more time to develop more ideas…"

* * *

"Thank you, Derpy. I can't believe I almost missed the Canterlot deliveries", Rarity said to the gray Pegasus.

"No problem, Rarity!" Derpy saluted before turning and taking off into the sky, barely missing a flock of geese migrating south.

Rarity left the post office for the Boutique, eager to see how Linen had handled things in her absence. She couldn't get the colt out of her mind all morning. He was just so interesting. Everything he did was spectacular! She had been trying for days to finish that order, and he had finished it in only fifteen minutes! It was as if he was the missing puzzle piece in the Boutique. And the designs he created were very unique.

"I wonder if Linen would design a dress for me for the upcoming Ponyville Ballroom Blitz…" A thought crossed her mind about inviting him to the annual dance. Then a sour thought crossed her mind. _Suppose somepony sees us…_She shook her head. _There is nothing wrong with him! What does it matter that he is educated in mathematics and can speak in several languages? That makes him all the more fascinating._

Rarity kept walking until the Boutique came into view. Her trot quickened with her rising eagerness. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't hear the crash echo from down the street.

* * *

"Sorry Mayor Mare", Sweetie Belle apologized as the rest of the Crusaders picked themselves up from the hardwood floor. "We didn't mean to knock all of your filing cabinets over."

"Yeah", Scootaloo seconded.

"We'll help clean up."

The Mayor of Ponyville quickly shook her head. "That's okay, girls, I can get it cleaned up by myself."

"Are you sure", asked little Sprinkle, the Crusaders' youngest member.

"Yes", she assured, "It's no trouble for me. To be honest there isn't much difference between now and campaign season."

"If y'all say so", said Apple Sprout's little sister June Berry.

"Come on!" Cotton shouted. "We have a lot more places to go!"

Forgetting all about their fail attempt at Cutie Mark Secretaries, the seven rushed back out, completely unsure of where they were going next. They all piled into the wagon, and waited for Apple Sprout to get hitched up again.

"At least we didn't get covered in tree sap this time", Scootaloo sighed optimistically.

"Where to now, y'all", Apple Sprout called.

"I know where!"

"Where, Sprinkle?" Sweetie Belle turned to the Pegasus.

"Cloud told me there was a hang gliding place somewhere in North Ponyville!"

It was immediately settled. At once, they all screamed to the sky, "Cutie Mark Hang Gliders! YAAAY!"

In a flash they were heading into the cool, south blowing winds. Avoiding all safety precautions, Cotton stood up and leaned forward into the breeze. "Captain Threads flying in for duty!"

"Hey, Captain, sit down before you fall!" Scootaloo tugged at his cape.

"No can do, Scootaloo!" Cotton leaned even further, ignoring the filly's pull.

"You're gonna fall!"

"Maybe you should listen, Cotton!" Sweetie Belle grabbed his cape and pulled with Scootaloo.

Cotton pulled back with all his might, but their combined effort pulled him back down. He fell backwards and landed next to Scootaloo. He giggled, "That was fun! We have to play tug-o-war. You will be a formidable foe indeed!"

Scoots smiled, "You won't have a chance! Rainbow Dash taught me out to use my wings to make my hooves stronger!"

The wagon hit a hole and nearly threw the Crusaders into the air. They all grabbed the sides and held on for dear life.

"Careful, Sis!" June shouted. "We want t' get there in one piece!"

Apple Sprout slowed down a little, but kept her pace brisk. "Sorry!"

The Crusaders remained silent as they climbed one of the many hills in Ponyville. The autumn breeze was blowing cool air over them. All of the Crusaders were content with the beautiful day. It almost lulled Sprinkle to sleep. Cotton leaned backwards and rested his back against the wagon. He leaned his head back and looked up at the clouds. Sunshine filtered in from behind the few clouds. Scootaloo noticed him relaxing and moved to take the spot beside him as Sprinkle relayed directions to their Earth Pony engine.

"I really wanna fly up there…" Cotton said after a few seconds.

"Me too. Rainbow Dash is teaching me how, and I'm getting better every day", Scootaloo replied.

"At least you'll get to. I'm a unicorn…"

"What's wrong with that?" Sweetie Belle asked, turning to face the rear of the wagon.

"I can only use magic", sighed Cotton.

"Hey, that's cool!" Scootaloo sat back up. "I know unicorns that can teleport, and do all kinds of cool stuff!

"Except fly…"

"Being a unicorn isn't a bad thing."

"I know Sweetie Belle, I just really want to fly that's all."

Sprinkle turned around to add to the conversation. "Would you be okay with gliding?"

"Huh?"

A pony strapped to a hang glider flew just over their wagon and rose back up. In the sky, tens if not a hundred ponies were gliding around in different colored hang gliders. Sprinkle hopped out of the wagon. "Let's go, Crusaders!"

* * *

When Rarity walked in the Boutique Linen had just finished writing down Thorny's order. He didn't hear her come in, and was surprised to see her standing almost right behind her when he turned around. They were face to face, with only inches separating the two. Red blushes replaced their natural colors at the sudden realization of the lack of space. It took Linen two seconds to realize that he was getting the privilege to stare into Rarity's cobalt eyes. His breathing slowed in fascination.

"Such beauty", he breathed.

Rarity's eyes widened. He didn't even try to hold that in! Her sense of reason disappeared, and she was next in finding she couldn't pry her eyes away from the gray stallion. His dark cerulean eyes shown through his glasses. A hundred different feelings rushed through her body. No matter how good she felt about looking, she had to force herself to look away. Anything but his gorgeous eyes would be enough to make her blush go away.

Linen's disappoint arrived with the departure of his blush. _Luna, she's so beautiful! What would cause her to look away? Embarrassment? Perhaps my glasses deterred her…_

Rarity struggled to find something to say, but every time she looked back her eyes automatically went to his. So instead of looking at him, she turned and walked back to the order she was working on earlier.

Linen followed her. He didn't want to let the situation become any more unstable. "Would you like some assistance?"

Rarity hesitated. She wasn't one to be rude, but she was still fighting the urge to look back into his eyes. "I suppose. I will continue on with the fabrics, and you can retrieve the gem chests."

Linen frowned. A simple delivery task. He sighed disappointedly. The room that held Rarity's precious stones was locked by a special spell that Rarity taught Linen how to disarm. He lowered the magic field and brought out four chests, each containing its own share of earth gems. He set them all down in front of the working mare.

"Thank you, Linen", Rarity simply called without turning her head back.

Her avoidance was a concern for him. He wanted to be her center of attention again, so he gazed around for some way to impress her. He didn't have to look for long; the gates of opportunity opened for him.

"Oh! My supply of rubies is nearly depleted", Rarity said to herself, "I'll need to find the time for a gem hunt soon."

Linen seized the chance by the throat. Immediately, he said, "There will not be a need for that."

"What do you mean?"

He trotted to the ruby chest and focused on another special spell he had taught himself. "Observe." In a flash of light from his horn, the few rubies in the chest multiplied to fill it to the brim.

"Amazing!" Rarity exclaimed, "Duplication Spells are by far among the most difficult to master!"

Linen smiled proudly. "Not so much anymore. That particular spell was created by me as a means for practicing simpler magic. It is merely a small Halfing Spell, just on a larger scale."

"Linen, you have no idea the time that it could save me!" Rarity's face became flustered with excitement, "Is there any possibility I can learn it?"

Linen smiled as he began to instruct her on the principle of the spell. He was no fool. There was definitely a connection he wanted to establish between them. It was obvious to him. He knew that from the very beginning. He also knew that he had taken the first few steps to capture her heart.

**BAM! Subliminal feelings ending in complete admittance! If I were you, I'd remember a couple things about this chapter, but I won't tell you what. It's a secret, and I've Pinkie Pie Sworn not to tell anypony. Don't worry, it's not like you'll have to keep your eyes glued to this chapter to figure out what's going on later. It's just that you might find it cute what I'll be linking from this chapter.**

**There's a new poll on my profile. It's real important, so I ask you to go and place your vote!**

**Chapter Trivia: **

**Cotton's longing to fly comes from the fact that in my original characterization, he was a Pegasus. I reimaged him as a unicorn to add to the small subplot to this story.**

**Because of a self-rising concern for linking all of my story OCs to my different stories in small appearances, I had Thorny make his order instead of the originally intended Fluttershy to help give me a boost of inspiration for writing more about him.**

**Linen's Ancient Equine (French) in this chapter is translated into: "Perfection in its shining moment!**


End file.
